Automatic depth-regulating device for freely-subfloating bodies.



K. 0. LEON. AUTOMATIC DEPTH REGULATI'NG DEVICE roR PREELYSUBFLOATING BODIES. APPLIQATION FILED AUG. 25. 1908. v Y 952,452. Patented Mar.22.1910.

. p 4 0 0 w 1 wmRl v Inpanjar W aw qzi i UNiTE KARL OSKAR LEON, or co'r'rn'nnone, swnnnn,

aurorra'rrc nnr'rrr-nucuna'rrne nnvrcu roe Fen'ELY-sUBrLoATme ooms,

To all whom it may concern: f

Be itkn'own that I, KARL OSKAB LEON, a

I subject of the King of Sweden, and resident.

of .Gottenbor'g, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Automatic Depth-Regulating Devices for Freely-Subfloating Bodies, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had to the drawing accompanying and forming a part hereof. v

"This invention relates to automatic depthregulating devices for freely sub-floating bodies, such as sub-floating drift mines, torpedoes, submarine boats, and the like.

In my earlier application for patent Serial No. 368498, filed April 16, 1.907, a subfloating drift mine is described which is provided with means acting to retain the mine within certain predetermined depths of submersion. To this end a receptacle for compressed air or gas (high-pressure chamber) and adepth-regulatmg chamber working ,with air or gas pressure from the high-pres sure chamber are arranged Within the mine,

said depth-regulating chamber having anormelly' closed outlet for the pressure-fluid therein. The connections of. the depth-regulating chamber are controlled by a valve, or the hke, operated by a waterrpressure-actuated device in such a manner that the displacement of the mine is increased or decreased, respectively, accordingas the mine is below or above a predetermined normal depth of submersion. This depth-regulating device has, however, proved itself not to i be fully as practical as desired, inasmuch as the displacement is continually increased,

after the mine has commenced to ascend, and

is continually decreased, after the mine has commenced to sink, wherebythe yertical movements of the mine become greater than is generally desirable.

Th 5 invention hasfor object to remove the said drawback and provide a-depth-regulating device for sub-floating. bodies of any kind by which the floating power of the body is increased, as soon as the body com- 1 mences to sink, and 18 decreased, as soon as the body commences to ascend, .so that the body is at every time counteracted in its movements and may be kept floating at a nearly constant depth, if desired. a

The" invention consists generally, in pro riding means, controlled by the outer water Specification of letters Patent. Patented M31322, 1910, Application filed August 25, 1908, Serial No. 450,191. r

pressure," for increasing the floating power of the body, as soon as the body commences to sink, and decreasing the floating power of the body, as soon as the body commences to ascend.

More particularly the invention consists in the combination with a sub-floating body, of a high-pressure chamber, a depth-regulating chamber, a comrcction between the said chambers, means'acting to normally keep the said connectlon closed, an outlet for the pressure-fluid contained in the depthregulating chamber, means acting to normally keep the said outlet closed, means controlled by outer water pressure for opening the connection between the high-pressure chamber and the depth-regulating chamber,

whenever the body ascends, and means controlled by the outer water pressure for opening the aforesaid outlet, whenever the body ascends. I p

Preferably, the invention is carried out in such a manner that the connection between the high-pressure chamber and the depthregulating' chamber, or the outlet for the pressure -fluid within the lastmentioned chamber, respectively, is opened intermittently, as the body descends or ascends, re-' spectively. To this end the device movable under the influence of the varying water pressure is provided with teeth, cogs, pins, or simllar organs one set of which acts to intermittently opeuthc connection between the high-pressure chamber and the depthregulating chamber, when the said organs move in one direction, while another set of said organs acts to intermittently open the outlet for the pressure-fluid within the depth-regulating chamber, when the said organs move in the opposite direction.

. The invention further. comprises the construction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the drawing, I have shown, by way of example, an axial section of the upper part of a sub-floating drift mine provided with a depth-regulating device embodying the invention.

Iteferring to'thedrawing, 1 is a cylinder inclosing a chamber 2 at the top ofthe mine. Placed in the said chamber 2 is a waterpressure-actuated device, suitably consisting oia series ot-metal boxes or bellows 3 communicating with each other. Contrary to what is the case in the mine described in v the earlier application for patent hereinbefore referred to, the bellows 3 are supposed, in the embodiment illustrated, to be perfectly closed. Said bellows are supposed to be filled with air or other gas and are actuatedby the Water pressure at the outer side thereof, the chamber 2 communicating through openings 4 at the top of the mine with the water outside the latter. In order to revent too strong a pressure upon the bel ows, when the mine is ejected, a. cap 5 is placed in front of the openings '4, the interior of said cap communicating through backwardly opening apertures with the water outside the mine. The bellows 3 are attached, at the top, by means of a screw 7 to the top-plate 8 having the openings 4 and is screwed, at its lower end, to the upper end of a rod 9 passing throu h a stalling-box 1O situated at the bottom 0 the chamber 2 and closing-water-tightly against the rod. Bv arranging the bellows in such a manner that the water acts at the outer and the air at the inner side thereof the advantage is gained that the rod 9 need only be' tightened against water in the passage through the bottom of the chamber 2 which is obviously considerably easier than to provide a tightening against air or other gas. The device for moving the rod 9 in one or the other directionaccording to the variations in the water pressure dependent on the depth of immersion of the mine is not essential since to this end any suitable contrivances might be employed, for instance a piston moving in a cylinder and having a diaphragm or the like fittin tightly against the cylinder. It is, theretore, to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular device for transmitting the action of the pressure to the movable part entering the depth-regulating chamber.

The connection between the high-pressure chamber 11 and the deptlrregulating chamber 12 is established by means of a tube 13 whose cro..-sectional area can be regulated by means of a screw H having tightly lilting screw-tilreads. Situated at the upper end of the tube 13 is a valve casing 15 having a valve it; lightly held against a seat. at the upper part of the vnlvecasing by a spring 16. The valve rod [7 is not actuated directly by the rod 9 but the movement is transmitted through the iuterinedium ot' a lever 18 arranged in such a manner as to be operated by teeth 19 arranged on the rod tl.

lengths of the lever arms can be varied as required. livotally attached to the lever 18, at the end thereof adjacent to the rod 9, is a linger 20 adapted to be pressed downwardly against the action of a spring 21 but not to be folded upwardly. \Vhen the water The lever 18 is, suitably, journalcd in' such a nianncr that the ratio between the pressure increases and causes the bellows 3 to contact, the rod 9 is moved upwardly whereby the teeth 19 act in turn upon the finger 20 and cause the lever 18 to swing so that the valve 16 is o cued and admits compressed air into the epth-regnlating chamber. Whenever a tooth passes the finger 20, .the valve 16 is again closed, so that compresscd air will be admitted by portions into the depth-regulating chamber whenever a tooth acts upon the linger 20. If all teeth pass the finger 20 without a sufficient quantity of compressed air having been admitted into the depth'regulating chamber in order to cause the mine to ascend, a nose 22 situated below the teeth 19 will act upon the finger 20, or the lever 18, respectively, so that the latter is caused to open the valve lti and keep it in open position until a snllicient quantity of water has been driven out from the depth-regulating chamber to allow the mine to ascend. When the mine ascends, the bellows again expandwhereby the rod 9 is slowly moved downward, the teeth 15) then moving the finger 20 dowim'ardly, against: the action of the spring 21, without the lever '18 being turned.

In order to allow the air within the depthregulating chamber to escape, a tube 23 is arranged in the upper part thcreoflsnid tube communieating, a'tits upper end, with the water outside the mine. The cross-sectional area of the tube 23 can be regulated by means of a screw it lilting tightly in the wall of the tube. Situated at the inner end of the tube 23 is a valve casing 25 iuclosing a valve 27 actuated by a sprmg'flt'. The valve rod 28 is actuated by a lever 29 suitably journaled in the same manner as the levelf 1S. livotally attached to the free end of the lever 25) is a linger 30 adapted to be folded upwardly .against the, action of a spring 231 but which cannot be folded downwardly. When a downward pressure is exerted on the said linger, the lever 29 is thus caused to swing and open the valve 27.

When the rod 9 is moved downwardly, one after the other of a series of teeth 32 will act upon the linger 31 and cause the lever 21) to internnttenly open the valve :37 so that air is blown out and water is admitted through an opening 33 in the lower part of the depthregulating chamber. As a safety device in case the whole series o't teeth 32 should pass the linger 30 without a sullicient quantitv of water having been admitted into the depthregulating chamber to cause the mine to sink, a nose 34 is situated above the teeth 3:2, said nose serving to keep the. levcr :25) pressed down and thereby the valve 27 open until the mine commences to sink. \Vhile the mine is sinking, the linger 30 is caused by the teeth 32 to swing upwardly without the lever 29 being turned.

it the levers l8 and '2!) are arranged in such a manner as to beable to swing freely a certain distance in one direction without actuating the valve but to cause the valve to open, when they swing in the'opposite direction, the fingers and the springs acting thereon may obvlously be dispensed with. Obviously, the teeth need not have the form indi cated in the drawing-but may be given any suitable symmetrical or unsymmetrical form or be substituted b pins or the like.

In order to enab e the teeth to be changed according to the movements to be performed by the mine, the teeth 19 and 32 are not formed on the rod 9 proper but on metal parts adapted to be inserted in longitudinal grooves in the rod 9. In the drawing each series of teeth is shown divided; in two dle according to the functions to be perhalves, each formed on a separate plate 35, 36, 37 38 so that by: moving the upper and the lower teeth plate 35, 36 or 37, 38, respectively, apart a. middle field is obtained in which the mine is free to move without the valves being actuated. Furthermore the teeth may be arranged in several ways, for instance 1n such a manner that the increase in length upwardly or downwar 1y or increase or decrease in length toward the midformed by the mine. Moreover, the two series ofteeth may, obviously, be placed at.

different heights, and so on. The chief thing is that the connection between the high-pressure chamber and the depth-regulating chamber is kept open substantially while the mine is sinking and that the connection between the upper part of the depth-regulating chamber and the space outside the mine is kept open substantlally while the mine ascends.

By means -of the described arrangements the movements of the mine may be adjusted without ditficulty so that after some time the mine will be practically stationary, the action of only one tooth in either direction hethe upper end'of a coiled-spring 40 serving ing sutlicient for causing the mine to ascend and descend.

The rod 9 is shown provided, at its lower end, with an adjustable flange 39 acting on construction. and arrangement hereinbefore described and illustrated,'for manifestly the same may be varied considerably and in many particulars without departure from the principle of my invention. Thus, it is obvious that it is notnecessary that the outlet for the pressure-fluid within the depthregulatingv chamber opens outside the mine,

but-it may as well open into a chamber inside the mine, ifdesired.

Having now described my invention,.what I claim as new and desire to secure by-Let- 'ters Patent is;

1. The combination with a sub-floating body, of means, controlled by outer water pressure, for intermittently increasing the floating power of thebodyfas soon as the body commences to sink, and intermittently decreasing the floating powerthereof,' as

soon'as it commences to ascend.

2. The combination with 'a sub -floatin'g body, of means for intermittently increasing the displacement of said body, whenever it displacement of said body, whenever it ascends.

3. 'The combination with a sub --floating body, of meansfor intermittently increasing the floating power of said body, when the body moves downward between certain pre- .descends, and intermittently decreasing the determined depths, means for constantly'1ncreasing the floating power of the body, when it sinks below a certain predetermined depth, means for intermittently decreasing the floating power of the body, when it moves upward between certain redetermined depths, and means for constant y decreasing the floating power of the body, when it ascendsabove I a certain predetermined depth.

4. The combination with a sub-floating body, of a high-pressure chamber, a depth-- regulating chamber, a connection between the said chambers, means-acting to normally keep the'said connection closed,'an outlet for the pressure-fluid contained in the depthregulating chamber, means acting to nor-- mally keep the said outlet closed, means controlled by outer water-pressure for opening the connection between the high-pressure chamber and the depth-regulating chamber, whenever the body descends, and means controlled by the outer water pressure for opening the aforesaid outlet, whenever the body ascends.

5. The combination with a sub-floating body, of a highressure chamber, a depthregulatin cham er, a connection between the said c iambers, means acting to normally keep the said connection closed, an outlet for the pressure-fluid within the depth-regulatingchamben'means acting to normally keep the said outlet closed, means controlled by outer water pressure foraintermittentlv opening the connection between the highpressure chamber and the depth-regulating chamber, when the body movesdownward, and. means controlled by the outer water pressure for intermittently opening the aforesaid outlet, when the body moves up ward.

6. The combination with a sub-floating body, of a high-pressure chamber, a depthregulating chamber, a connection between the said chambers, means acting to nornmlly keep the said connection closed, an outlet for the pressure-fluid within the depthaeeulat' ing chamber, means acting to normally keep the said outlet closed, a device aetua ted by outer water pressure, teeth carried by the said device, means operated by one set of teeth for intermittently opening the connection between the high-pressure chamber and the dept-h-1egulatmg chan'iber, when the body descends, and means operated by another set of teeth for intermittently opening the aforesaid outlet, when the body ascends.

7. The combination with a sub-floating; body, of a high- )ressurechamber, a depthregulating cham er, an adjustable connee tion between the said chambers, means acting to normally keep the said connection closed, an adjustable outlet for the pressurefluid contained in the dept]i-regulating chamber, means acting to normally keep the said outlet closed, means controlled by outer water pressure for opening the connection between the higlrpressure-chamber and the depth-regulating chamber, whenever the body descends, and means controlled by the outer water pressure for opening the aforesaid outlet, whenever the body ascends.

8. The combination with a sub-floating body, of a higlrpressure chamber, a depthregulating chamber, a connection between the said chambers, means acting to normally keep the said connection closed, an outlet for the pressure-fluid Within the deptha'egulaling (l1tlll)lJPI, means acting to normally keep the said outlet closed, means controlled by outer water pressure for intvrmittently opening the connection between the higlrpressure chamber and the depthregulating chamber, when the body moves downward, means for keeping the said connection open, when the body descends below a certain predetermined depth, means controlled by outer water pressure for inter mittently opening the aforesaid outlet, when the body moves upward, and means for keeping the said outlet open, when the body ascends above a certain predetermined depth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL OSKAR LEON.

Witnesses OSKAR Gaos, K. Mm s'ren. 

